Signal lamp



Dec. 5, 1944.

J. H. DIEDRING SIGNAL LAMP Filed Nov. 13, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE SIGNAL LAMP John H. Diedring, Anderson, Ind., assignor to GeneralMotors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of DelawareApplication November 13, 1941, Serial No. 418,897

2 Claims.

My invention relates to signal lamps for military vehicles.

In designing a signal lamp for a military vehicle it is necessary tokeep in mind the fact that ing, or aperture extended along thelongitudinal axis of the lamp, to form a compartment 50.

. The forward opening of compartment to may have inturned edges to forma flange 52. Disthe signal must not be visible to enemy aircraft. 5posed in compartment 50 and near the forward It is necessary, therefore,to provide a signal lamp opening is a lens 54 of any suitable lightconducthaving' a limited visibility from above. I have ing material suchas Lucite. Also disposed in met this limited visibility requirement bythe procompartment 56 but near the inner opening is a vision of a pairof spaced windows disposed bescreen 56 which may be constructed of anysuitfore the light source. These spaced windows are able lightconducting material such as the comsealed in a unit which is removableand replacemercially known substance Tenite, widely used able as awhole. in the manufacture of light filters. One face of It is theprimaryobject of my invention to pro-- screen or filter 55 may be coated by anopaque vide a pair of spaced windows disposed before a substance such asblackpaint 58. Windows 65 light source and sealed in a unit which issubstanmay be provided in coating 58. Lens 54 is prefertially dust andmoisture proof. ably spaced from screen 56; this spacing may be Figure lof the drawing is a front elevation done by providing lens 54 withinwardly extend view showing a signal lamp built according to my ingmembers 6| Members 6| could if desired be inVBnlJiOnput on filter orscreen 56. The edges of the inner Figure 2 is a side view with partsbroken away aperture of compartment 5!! may be bent inwardly and insection showing details, and during assembly to form flanges 62 as shownin Figure 3 is a rear elevation view of my sealed Figure 3. A gasketsuch as that shown at 64 1111111 may be provided at either opening or atboth A casing ll] of any suitable sheet material such if desired toassist in rendering the assembly as metal is shown as forming part of alamp dust and moisture proof. housing. A cover plate [2 completes thelamp The optical properties of this signal lamp form housing. Suitablydisposed in casing ID on a no part of the present invention but aresepabracket I4 is a socket l6 carrying light bulb l8. rately disclosedand claimed in the copending ap- Bracket I4 is secured to casing I'D bya mounting plication of George W. Onksen, Jr., et al., Signal means suchas a stud 20 having a shoulder 22 0 lamps, Serial No. 418,898, filedNovember 13, 1941. which bears against bracket [4. Stud 20 extends It isapparent from the foregoing description through bracket l4, casing l0and a mounting that I have provided a signal lamp having spaced bracket24 and is suitably held in place as by windows in one wall of thehousing which carries ta 25 o hold these parts o ether. a lens, a spacerand a light screen sealed into a The forward end 28 of bracket I4 isbent upsubstantially dust and moisture proof unit. ward to provide ascrew threaded opening to I claim: receive cover screw 30. An opening 32is provided 1. In combination, a lamp housing having an on the undersideof casing I0 to permit the drainopen front end, a light source withinsaid housing of any moisture which may accumulate in the ing, a coverplate adapted to be detachably secasing because of condensation orleakage 4.0 cured to the open end of said housing, said cover throughthe top. Opening 32 is protected to a plate being provided with acentrally located paslimited extent against the direct entrance offorsage therethrough extending along the longitudieign matter by bracketl4 which is provided with nal axis of said lamp housing'and constitutedby a recess or kink 34 to avoid blocking the opening walls integral withsaid plate extending substan- 32. Mounting stud 2!] is provided witha'longitially at right angles to the plane thereof, a lens tudinalopening 36 through which may pass lead mounted within said passageadjacent the front wire 38 for one terminal of the bulb. The other endthereof, a light screen mounted within said terminal may be grounded.The casing is propassage adjacent the rear end thereof, and an invidedat its upper side with a recess or notch 40 tegral extension on saidlens adapted to contact to receive a cooperating bracket 42 suitablysesaid screen to maintain said lens and screen in cured to cover plateI2 as by a rivet 44. A gasket 46 of any suitable material such as rubbermay be provided to effect a seal between cover plate l2 and casing l0.

longitudinally spaced position therein.

2. In combination, a lamp housing having an open front end, a lightsource within said housing, and a unit assembly adapted to be detach-Cover plate I2 is provided with a walled open ably secured to the openend of said housing, said assemblyincluding a cover plate having a cen-'trally located passage therethrough extending along the longitudinalaxis of said lamp housing and constituted by walls integral with saidplate extending substantially at right angles to the plane thereof,longitudinally spaced light transmitting windows mounted within saidpassage adjacent the opposite ends thereof, and means including spacingmeans between said windows and an integral flange extending inwardly atone end of said passage and flanges onythe opposite end thereof whichare bent inwardly during assembly to retain said windows in saidpassage.

JOHN H. DIEDRING.

